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The Everton midfielder was given a warm ovation from his Everton teammates after delivering an apology for his shocking dismissal during the recent triumph at Old Trafford.

Rare Incident in Premier League

Gueye earned the distinction of being the initial Premier League player to be dismissed for striking a fellow player in nearly two decades when he slapped his defensive colleague during the match. The Toffees' display was remarkable as they competed with a man down for the majority of the game, including added time, to secure David Moyes' first win at Old Trafford as a visiting manager in 18 attempts.

'My first apology goes to Michael Keane,' Gueye stated on his accounts. 'I take full responsibility for my reaction.'

Dressing Room Response

Gueye did not get an opportunity to converse with the manager or his teammates at half-time. Following the match, with the visitors' locker room celebrating after the 1-0 win, the veteran asked to address the whole team and Keane in particular.

• Gueye apologized to the defender for striking him across the face
• The heated early altercation occurred after a poor distribution in his own penalty area
• Additionally he apologized to the squad for putting them with a monumental task
• His apology were positively accepted by the players

Potential Ramifications

Gueye may yet be punished by the club despite the manager's admission that he appreciates his players competing with each other. Moyes has a regular disciplinary procedure for red and yellow cards, including financial penalties, which is expected to be applied in this situation.

Suspension and National Team Commitments

Everton may find themselves without their influential midfielder until the January. Gueye will complete a three-game suspension against Newcastle, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest but could be called up for AFCON duty by his national team before he becomes eligible to play against Chelsea on mid-December.

'Emotions can run high,' Gueye continued. 'However, there's no excuse for such conduct.'

Rival Reaction

At the same time, Mathijs de Ligt accused United of showing no urgency in the recent defeat, which halted their winning streak at five games.

• 'English football doesn't tolerate weakness,' stated the Dutch defender
• 'We lacked that urgency to score goals,'
• 'Against a team like Everton,' who drop back it becomes challenging

United travel to Selhurst Park for the weekend lunchtime start. 'Our upcoming match is absolutely crucial,' commented De Ligt. 'We must recover strongly from this display.'